Acres of diamonds: a heuristic self-search inquiry into intuition

Abstract

My dissertation is a qualitative, exploratory research study of how I, as the researcher, experience intuition. My study is unusual in that it represents one of the first formal, recognized applications of heuristic self-search inquiry (HSSI), a rigorous, relatively new and relatively unknown research approach developed by Sandy Sela-Smith (2002a; 2002b). My research is unique in that it offers an alternative to the HSSI application Sela-Smith advocates. My research is also unique as it represents the first HSSI into intuition. To me HSSI is about staying in one place and digging deep into internal landscapes in search of "acres of diamonds." This dissertation, then, is about unearthing my internal understanding of myself in relationship to intuition; it is not about understanding intuition as an external phenomenon, as most research approaches would require. My focus is on process. The dissertation tells the story of how I uncovered my research question (how do I experience intuition?), the internal process I went through to find my answers, and what those answers mean to me. It reflects my intuitive nature. The dissertation describes in detail my application of HSSI, my resistance to the internal search required of HSSI, and my surrender to HSSl's phases (initial engagement, immersion, incubation, illumination, explication, creative synthesis and my own addition, validation) and concepts and processes (identification with the focus of the inquiry, tacit knowing, intuition, indwelling, self-dialogue, focusing, feelings, and internal frame of reference) as I came to understand and appreciate what intuition means to me. I discuss personal discoveries about transformation and heuristic containers uncovered through the course of my inquiry that helped me and may help others conducting similar first-person research. I consider validity in detail- HSSl's validity as a research methodology, the validity of my research as HSSI, the validity of my application of HSSI, and the truth of my research findings-in seeking to answer the question, "Is THIS research?" Lastly, I present my research contributions for the study of HSSI, intuition, and transformation and implications arising from my work for the areas of HSSI, intuition, transformation, and my own internal explorations.